Apparatus for making metal rings



Dec. 26, 1967 M M. SEELOFF APPARATUS FOR MAKING METAL RINGS OriginalFiled July 2, 1962 FIG.

FIG. 2

INVENTOR MELVIN M. SEELOFF ATTORIEY United States Patent Office3,360,178 APPARATUS FOR MAKING METAL RINGS Melvin Max Seelolr, Warren,Ohio, assignor to The Taylor- Winfield Corporation, Warren, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Original application July 2, 1962, Ser. No. 206,603,now Patent No. 3,241,347, dated Mar. 22, 1966. Divided and thisapplication Mar. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 534,015

4 Claims. (Cl. 228-15) The present application is a division of myapplication Ser. No. 206,603, filed July 2, 1962, now Patent No.3,241,347.

This invention relates to an improved method and to an improvedproduction apparatus utilizing the said improved method for formingmetal rings. The cross-section of the metal may be round, square,rectangular (including flat) or irregular section, and the invention ischaracterized by simplicity and speed of operation of the apparatusrequired, also by extreme accuracy in maintaining the propercircumferential length of the rings being formed, and by the veryaccurate controlling of the abutting or overlapping of the ends of theworkpiece to obtain the highest quality of various fusion weldingmethods which may be employed on the formed rings.

The primary object of the invention is, as suggested above, theprovision of an improved method and simplified apparatus utilizing themethod for accurately manufacturing rings of diverse cross-sectionalshape in a rapid and inexpensive manner. A secondary object of theinvention is the provision of an improved arrangement for loading thestraight stock used into the forming apparatus whereby extreme accuracyand uniformity will be maintained in the final product. A further objectof the invention is the provision of a simplified and improved formingmethod and apparatus for the manufacture of rings which can be veryexpeditiously coupled with various kinds of fusion welding equipmentwhereby after the rings are formed by the bending equipment the same areaccurately retained and held by the same equipment thru the fusionjoining cycle and until the metal has solidified sufficiently to renderthe rings dimensionally stable.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent upon consideration of the following specification and theaccompanying drawing wherein there is disclosed certain preferredembodiments of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational schematic view of a ring forming machineconstructed in accordance with the principles of my invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 but showing the partsthereof in another stage of the operational cycle.

The apparatus of FIGURES l and 2 consists essentially of a pair of arms30 and 31 which are pivoted on spaced parallel axes 32 and 33. Carriedby one end of each of the arms 30, 31 is a first set of air operatedclamps 34 and 35 which are operative to clamp a first stock length 36 ina horizontal plane, as viewed in FIG- URE 1. Also mounted on the arms30, 31 and lying in the same vertical plane as the clamps 34, 35 butreversely disposed with respect to the clamps 34, 35 and extendingoutwardly from opposite surfaces of the arms is a second set of airoperated clamps 37 and 38. The sets of clamps 34, 35 and 37, 38 may becantilevered laterally outward from opposite sides of the arms 30, 31 toposition the two workpieces in horizontally spaced vertical planes tofacilitate the welding operation shown in FIGURE 1.

All of the stock clamps disclosed in FIGURES l and 2 are essentiallyC-shaped so that the stock pieces may be 3,360,178 Patented Dec. 26,1967 loaded into them by sidewise movement. Again and also, slideablelocating gage blocks 13 are employed to slideably support the stockpieces in loading and to center the stock pieces accurately with respectto the axes 32, 33 preparatory to closing of the clamps. Suitable powermeans, not shown, is employed to swing the arms 30, 31 through degreesas required, and suitable stop means, also not shown, is employed toaccurately limit the final at-rest position of these arms. In FIGURE 1,spot welding electrodes, shown schematically at 39, may be employed toweld together the closed ends of the stock pieces after completion offorming.

It should be apparent upon consideration of the above that while aformed ring as shown at 36F, for example, is being welded or stitchedtogether by any of suitable process such as spot, are or flash welding,the next succeeding stock piece, as shown at 36, may be loaded into theother pair of stock clamps. After the formed ring 36F is joined and thejoint processed (flash trimmed or an nealed) as desired or permitted theclamps 37, 38 may be released to eject the completed ring andimmediately thereafter the arms 30, 31 may be rotated in directionsshown by the arrows to form a new ring and to move the clamps 37, 38 toupper positions preparatory to receiving the next succeeding workpiece.The end portions of the workpieces in FIGURES l and 2 may be eitheroverlapped as described or be simply abutted or precisely spaced andthen joined by other fusion processes than spot welding. Also, it isdesirable to synchronize the swinging movement of the arms 30, 31, whichmay be accomplished by a number of expedients well known in the machinebuilding art.

It should now be apparent that I have provided an improved method andimproved and simplified apparatus for carrying out the method which mayvery rapidly and accurately manufacture rings from precut sections ofstraight stock of a wide diversity of cross-sectional shapes. Since thestock pieces are continuously held adjacent their ends from loadingthrough joining and subsequent trimming or strength hardening thecircumferential dimension of the formed rings remains absolutelyaccurate and uniform. While some unwanted bending may occur at theclamps subsequent rolling, sizing or other re-forming will restore therings to desired diameters in an accurate manner since the peripheraldimension never varies. In many cases the peripheral dimension is not asimportant as the degree of abutment or the amount of overlap of the endsof the workpiece. This is particularly true where the workpieces are notcut to exact length. It is apparent that my invention provides means oflocating and clamping the workpieces so that the degree of abutment orthe amount of overlap can be consistently and accurately maintained.

A particular advantage of the method and apparatus of the invention isthat the absence of mandrels, rolls, etc., greatly simplifies themachinery making it economical to produce and rugged and long lasting inservice. Further the lack of any apparatus within the open space of theformed ring permits the use of a wide diversity of joining andsubsequent working devices. These devices may be quick acting so that ahigh rate of production is attainable. Since many changes may be made inthe specific apparatus utilized to carry out the principles of myinvention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof referenceshould be had to the appended claims in determining the scope of theinvention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for making rings from straight lengths of bendableworkpieces comprising a pair of arms swingably mounted on a spaced pairof parallel axes in such manner that the arms are spaced butlongitudinally aligned with respect to each other and swingable fromsuch aligned positions through 180 whereby said arms are inverted,clamps mounted on the top and bottom surfaces of each of said armssymmetrical about the axis of the arm and diagonally related as the armis viewed in side elevation, the arrangement being such that when saidarms are so aligned they collectively mount a spaced pair of clamps onthe outer ends of the arms and an adjacent pair of clamps on the innerends of said arms, and the arrangement being further such that while aformed ring is held in the adjacent pair of clamps a straight workpiecemay be inserted in the spaced pair of clamps.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 further characterized in that thespacing of said axes and the length of the arms are so related to thestraight length of the workpair of clamps and the arms subsequentlyrotated through 180 the workpiece will be looped into ring form with endportions of the workpiece coming into predetermined relation to oneanother.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 further including welding means toweld together the adjacent end portions of said workpiece after the sameis bent into ring form.

4. Apparatus according to claim '1 further including gauge stock meansto engage the ends of the straight workpieces to thereby accuratelycontrol the overhang of the workpieces from each of said spaced clamps.

No references cited.

piece that after the workpiece is clamped by the spaced 15 RICHARD H.EANES, JR., Primary Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR MAKING RINGS FROM STRAIGHT LENGTHS OF BENDABLEWORKPIECES COMPRISING A PAIR OF ARMS SWINGABLY MOUNTED ON A SPACED PAIROF PARALLEL AXES IN SUCH MANNER THAT THE ARMS ARE SPACED BUTLONGITUDINALLY ALIGNED WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER AND SWINGABLE FROMSUCH ALIGNED POSITIONS THROUGH 180* WHEREBY SAID ARMS ARE INVERTED,CLAMPS MOUNTED ON THE TOP AND BOTTOM SURFACES OF EACH OF SAID ARMSSYMMETRICAL ABOUT THE AXIS OF THE ARMS AND DIAGONALLY RELATED AS THE ARMIS VIEWED IN SIDE ELEVATION, THE ARRANGEMENT BEING SUCH THAT WHEN SAIDARMS ARE SO ALIGNED THEY COLLECTIVELY MOUNT A SPACED PAIR OF CLAMPS ONTHE OUTER ENDS OF THE ARMS AND AN ADJACENT PAIR OF CLAMPS ON THE INNERENDS OF SAID ARMS, AND THE ARRANGEMENT BEING FURTHER SUCH THAT WHILE AFORMED RING IS HELD IN THE ADJACENT PAIR OF CLAMPS A STRAIGHT WORKPIECEMAY BE INSERTED IN THE SPACED PAIR OF CLAMPS.